{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/54.1-2409.5.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/54.1-2409.5.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/54.1-2409.5.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/54.1-2409.5.html"}],"law_id":368202,"edition_id":2,"section_id":368202,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2409.5","catch_line":"Conversion therapy prohibited","history":"2020, cc. 41, 721.","full_text":"A\n\nAs used in this section, “conversion therapy” means any practice or treatment that seeks to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity, including efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender. “Conversion therapy” does not include counseling that provides acceptance, support, and understanding of a person or facilitates a person’s coping, social support, and identity exploration and development, including sexual-orientation-neutral interventions to prevent or address unlawful conduct or unsafe sexual practices, as long as such counseling does not seek to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity.\n\nB\n\nNo person licensed pursuant to this subtitle or who performs counseling as part of his training for any profession licensed pursuant to this subtitle shall engage in conversion therapy with a person under 18 years of age. Any conversion therapy efforts with a person under 18 years of age engaged in by a provider licensed in accordance with the provisions of this subtitle or who performs counseling as part of his training for any profession licensed pursuant to this subtitle shall constitute unprofessional conduct and shall be grounds for disciplinary action by the appropriate health regulatory board within the Department of Health Professions.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1370675,"text":"As used in this section, “conversion therapy” means any practice or treatment that seeks to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity, including efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender. “Conversion therapy” does not include counseling that provides acceptance, support, and understanding of a person or facilitates a person’s coping, social support, and identity exploration and development, including sexual-orientation-neutral interventions to prevent or address unlawful conduct or unsafe sexual practices, as long as such counseling does not seek to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":1370676,"text":"No person licensed pursuant to this subtitle or who performs counseling as part of his training for any profession licensed pursuant to this subtitle shall engage in conversion therapy with a person under 18 years of age. Any conversion therapy efforts with a person under 18 years of age engaged in by a provider licensed in accordance with the provisions of this subtitle or who performs counseling as part of his training for any profession licensed pursuant to this subtitle shall constitute unprofessional conduct and shall be grounds for disciplinary action by the appropriate health regulatory board within the Department of Health Professions.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A"}},"ancestry":[{"id":52480,"edition_id":2,"name":"General Provisions","identifier":"24","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":52479,"metadata":{"child_laws":44,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:59:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:35:00","permalink":{"id":1468109,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52480,"identifier":"24","token":"54.1\/III\/24","url":"\/54.1\/III\/24\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":52479,"edition_id":2,"name":"Professions and Occupations Regulated by Boards Within the Department of Health Professions","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":3,"parent_id":52436,"metadata":{"child_laws":738,"child_structures":83},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:59:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:35:00","permalink":{"id":1468107,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52479,"identifier":"III","token":"54.1\/III","url":"\/54.1\/III\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":52436,"edition_id":2,"name":"Professions and Occupations","identifier":"54.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":118,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":1282,"child_structures":163},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:58:52","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:34:51","permalink":{"id":1466315,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52436,"identifier":"54.1","token":"54.1","url":"\/54.1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":368175,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2400","catch_line":"General powers and duties of health regulatory boards","url":"\/54.1-2400\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2400","metadata":false},{"id":368161,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2400.01","catch_line":"Certain definition","url":"\/54.1-2400.01\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2400.01","metadata":false},{"id":368162,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2400.01:1","catch_line":"Surgery defined; who may perform surgery","url":"\/54.1-2400.01_1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2400.01_1","metadata":false},{"id":368163,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2400.01:2","catch_line":"Ophthalmic prescription defined; who may provide ophthalmic prescriptions","url":"\/54.1-2400.01_2\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2400.01_2","metadata":false},{"id":368164,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2400.02","catch_line":"Information concerning health professionals; posting of addresses on the Internet; providing personal information under certain circumstances prohibited; collection of address information from health professionals","url":"\/54.1-2400.02\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2400.02","metadata":false},{"id":368165,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2400.03","catch_line":"Health regulatory boards to report information concerning health professionals to the Department of Health; Eligible Health Care Provider Reserve Directory","url":"\/54.1-2400.03\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2400.03","metadata":false},{"id":368166,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2400.1","catch_line":"Mental health service providers; duty to protect third parties; immunity","url":"\/54.1-2400.1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2400.1","metadata":false},{"id":368167,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2400.2","catch_line":"Confidentiality of information obtained during an investigation or disciplinary proceeding; penalty","url":"\/54.1-2400.2\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2400.2","metadata":false},{"id":368168,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2400.3","catch_line":"Disciplinary actions to be reported","url":"\/54.1-2400.3\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2400.3","metadata":false},{"id":368169,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2400.4","catch_line":"Mental health service providers duty to inform; immunity; civil penalty","url":"\/54.1-2400.4\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2400.4","metadata":false},{"id":368170,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2400.5","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/54.1-2400.5\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2400.5","metadata":false},{"id":368171,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2400.6","catch_line":"Hospitals, other health care institutions, home health and hospice organizations, and assisted living facilities required to report disciplinary actions against and certain disorders of health professionals; immunity from liability; failure to report","url":"\/54.1-2400.6\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2400.6","metadata":false},{"id":368172,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2400.7","catch_line":"Practitioners treating other practitioners for certain disorders to make reports; immunity from liability","url":"\/54.1-2400.7\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2400.7","metadata":false},{"id":368173,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2400.8","catch_line":"Immunity for reporting","url":"\/54.1-2400.8\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2400.8","metadata":false},{"id":368174,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2400.9","catch_line":"Reporting disabilities of drivers","url":"\/54.1-2400.9\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2400.9","metadata":false},{"id":368176,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2401","catch_line":"Monetary penalty","url":"\/54.1-2401\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2401","metadata":false},{"id":368178,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2402","catch_line":"Citizen members on health regulatory boards","url":"\/54.1-2402\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2402","metadata":false},{"id":368177,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2402.1","catch_line":"Appointments, removals, and limitation of terms of members of regulatory boards","url":"\/54.1-2402.1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2402.1","metadata":false},{"id":368184,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2403","catch_line":"Certain advertising prohibited","url":"\/54.1-2403\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2403","metadata":false},{"id":368179,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2403.01","catch_line":"Routine component of prenatal care","url":"\/54.1-2403.01\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2403.01","metadata":false},{"id":368180,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2403.02","catch_line":"Prenatal education; cord blood banking","url":"\/54.1-2403.02\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2403.02","metadata":false},{"id":368181,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2403.1","catch_line":"Protocol for certain medical history screening required","url":"\/54.1-2403.1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2403.1","metadata":false},{"id":368182,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2403.2","catch_line":"Record storage","url":"\/54.1-2403.2\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2403.2","metadata":false},{"id":368183,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2403.3","catch_line":"Medical records; ownership; provision of copies","url":"\/54.1-2403.3\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2403.3","metadata":false},{"id":368187,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2404","catch_line":"Itemized statements required upon request","url":"\/54.1-2404\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2404","metadata":false},{"id":368185,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2404.1","catch_line":"Patient records","url":"\/54.1-2404.1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2404.1","metadata":false},{"id":368186,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2404.2","catch_line":"Health care providers; 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allegations to be in writing","url":"\/54.1-2408.1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2408.1","metadata":false},{"id":368193,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2408.2","catch_line":"Minimum period for reinstatement after revocation","url":"\/54.1-2408.2\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2408.2","metadata":false},{"id":368194,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2408.3","catch_line":"Practice pending appeal","url":"\/54.1-2408.3\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2408.3","metadata":false},{"id":368195,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2408.4","catch_line":"Temporary authorization to practice","url":"\/54.1-2408.4\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2408.4","metadata":false},{"id":368204,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2409","catch_line":"Mandatory suspension or revocation; reinstatement; hearing for reinstatement","url":"\/54.1-2409\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2409","metadata":false},{"id":368197,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2409.1","catch_line":"Criminal penalties for practicing certain professions and occupations without appropriate licensure, certificate, etc","url":"\/54.1-2409.1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2409.1","metadata":false},{"id":368198,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2409.1:1","catch_line":"Interjurisdictional compacts; criminal history record checks","url":"\/54.1-2409.1_1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2409.1_1","metadata":false},{"id":368199,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2409.2","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/54.1-2409.2\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2409.2","metadata":false},{"id":368200,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2409.3","catch_line":"Participation of advisory boards in disciplinary proceedings","url":"\/54.1-2409.3\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2409.3","metadata":false},{"id":368201,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2409.4","catch_line":"Authority to receive laboratory results directly","url":"\/54.1-2409.4\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2409.4","metadata":false},{"id":368202,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2409.5","catch_line":"Conversion therapy prohibited","url":"\/54.1-2409.5\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2409.5","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":368203,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2409.6","catch_line":"Recommendation for Continuing education for certain licensees","url":"\/54.1-2409.6\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2409.6","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":368201,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2409.4","catch_line":"Authority to receive laboratory results directly","url":"\/54.1-2409.4\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2409.4","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":368203,"structure_id":52480,"section_number":"54.1-2409.6","catch_line":"Recommendation for Continuing education for certain licensees","url":"\/54.1-2409.6\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2409.6","metadata":false},"metadata":{"court_decisions":""},"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/54.1-2409.5\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2020. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapters 41<\/a> and 721<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1468279,"object_type":"law","relational_id":368202,"identifier":"54.1-2409.5","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2409.5","url":"\/54.1-2409.5\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/54.1-2409.5\/","token":"54.1\/III\/24\/54.1-2409.5","dublin_core":{"Title":"Conversion therapy prohibited","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 54.1-2409.5","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> As used in this section, “conversion therapy<\/span>” means any practice or treatment that seeks to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity, including efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender. “Conversion therapy<\/span>” does not include counseling that provides acceptance, support, and understanding of a person or facilitates a person’s coping, social support, and identity exploration and development, including sexual-orientation-neutral interventions to prevent or address unlawful conduct or unsafe sexual practices, as long as such counseling does not seek to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> No person licensed pursuant to this subtitle or who performs counseling as part of his training for any profession licensed pursuant to this subtitle shall engage in conversion therapy<\/span> with a person under 18 years of age. Any conversion therapy<\/span> efforts with a person under 18 years of age engaged in by a provider licensed in accordance with the provisions of this subtitle or who performs counseling as part of his training for any profession licensed pursuant to this subtitle shall constitute unprofessional conduct and shall be grounds for disciplinary action by the appropriate health regulatory board within the Department of Health Professions. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCONVERSION THERAPY PROHIBITED (\u00a7 54.1-2409.5)\n\nA. As used in this section, “conversion therapy” means any practice\nor treatment that seeks to change an individual’s sexual orientation or\ngender identity, including efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions or\nto eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward\nindividuals of the same gender. “Conversion therapy” does not\ninclude counseling that provides acceptance, support, and understanding of a\nperson or facilitates a person’s coping, social support, and identity\nexploration and development, including sexual-orientation-neutral interventions\nto prevent or address unlawful conduct or unsafe sexual practices, as long as\nsuch counseling does not seek to change an individual’s sexual orientation\nor gender identity.\n\nB. No person licensed pursuant to this subtitle or who performs counseling as\npart of his training for any profession licensed pursuant to this subtitle shall\nengage in conversion therapy with a person under 18 years of age. Any conversion\ntherapy efforts with a person under 18 years of age engaged in by a provider\nlicensed in accordance with the provisions of this subtitle or who performs\ncounseling as part of his training for any profession licensed pursuant to this\nsubtitle shall constitute unprofessional conduct and shall be grounds for\ndisciplinary action by the appropriate health regulatory board within the\nDepartment of Health Professions.\n\nHISTORY: 2020, cc. 41, 721.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}